
Meet Gizmos
The world's largest library of math and science simulations.
Sign Up for Free Find a Gizmo

Build inquiry, understanding, and a love of math and science.
With over 450 virtual, interactive STEM simulations all aligned to the latest standards, Gizmos help educators bring powerful new learning experiences to grade 3-12 classrooms.
Learn More about Gizmos Sign Up for FreeCoriolis Effect
Flush goes the toilet. The water swirls around the tank and then exits in a big whoosh. But which way does the water swirl around, clockwise or counterclockwise? Many people think the direction the water rotates is caused by the Coriolis Effect,...
Learn More about Gizmos Find More Gizmos


Coriolis Effect
Flush goes the toilet. The water swirls around the tank and then exits in a big whoosh. But which way does the water swirl around, clockwise or counterclockwise? Many people think the direction the water rotates is caused by the Coriolis Effect, which is also the name of our newest Gizmo.
The basic idea of the Coriolis effect is that when an object is launched, you have to consider the motion of the platform it was launched from and the speed and direction it was propelled. The Gizmo illustrates this with two characters, Willie and June, playing catch. First, as they play catch while riding on trains, students will see that the motion of Willie’s train causes his throw to be deflected to the right. Next, Willie and June ride on a merry-go-round, where rotational motion causes Willie’s throw to go awry. This applies directly to the Earth, where Earth’s rotational motion causes Willie’s throws to be deflected.
Next, students can go through several real-world examples of the Coriolis effect, including global wind patterns, air circulation around weather systems, and the formation of circulating storms such as hurricanes. But no, toilet bowls are not on the list. While the Coriolis effect is powerful enough to form massive storms, it is too weak to influence the water in your toilet.

Bring science to life with real-life STEM cases.
Gizmos STEM Cases put students in the roles of professionals tasked with solving real-world STEM problems — just like real scientists.
Learn More about STEM Cases Find a STEM Case

Research
Leverage research-proven teaching tools.
Independent research studies show how Gizmos interactive simulations power effective math and science instruction and impact student achievement.
See Our StudiesProfessional Development
Prepare teachers for even greater success.
When teachers effectively integrate Gizmos into instruction they can take learning to new levels. Learn how our support helps educators be their best.
Explore Our ServicesResources
Make the most of your implementation.
Get insights, ideas, inspiration and more. We’re here to help you use Gizmos in the classroom—whether you’re just getting started or ready to go deeper.
Browse Our Resources
Everybody's Talking About Gizmos
"Using Gizmos has had a positive impact on student learning. Gizmos allows them to dig deeper and manipulate variables to lead them to a higher-level depth of knowledge. There were plenty of students who had a ‘light bulb’ moment using a Gizmo!"
- Teacher, Racine Unified School District, WI"Textbooks have come and gone in our district at all grade levels, but what our teachers have been able to rely on for years is the quality of the product ExploreLearning is putting out with Gizmos."
- Director of STEM Education, Hillsborough Public Schools, FL"Teachers deserve a tool like Gizmos to empower students to conduct their own investigations, learn without reading lots of text but by doing lots of reasoning."
- Teacher, Los Angeles Unified School District, CA"I’m really a strong proponent of Gizmos in science because I have seen firsthand what it does in terms of engaging kids in labs. Gizmos really allow students to go deeper in terms of problem solving and critical thinking."
- Assistant Superintendent, Miami-Dade Public Schools, FL"I see more student engagement with lesson content when students are using Gizmos. Student grades have shown more understanding of the topics."
- Teacher, Salinas Unified School District, CAGizmos have earned every major ed tech award!






Get more Gizmos Insights.
Ready. Set. Gizmo! Create a free Gizmos trial account and get 30 days unlimited access to the entire Gizmos library.